


Letting Off Steam

by bennybonny



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Deleted Scene, M/M, Magnus dancing, minimus and megatron being the Gay, striptease, you know the drill
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-01
Updated: 2019-01-01
Packaged: 2019-09-30 15:11:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17226344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bennybonny/pseuds/bennybonny
Summary: Magnus has had a lot of work lately - and even for him, it's been overwhelming. Not that he'd ever admit it.Dance night at Swerves provides the perfect opportunity for Whirl to help Magnus """loosen up"""





	Letting Off Steam

**Author's Note:**

> I'm workin on other fic, don't worry - but seriously, what better way to kick off the new year than with some officially endorsed minimegs??
> 
> This is something of a 'deleted scene' fic.............. you'll see what I mean ;3

It was dance night at Swerve's, and this evening, the bartender had truly outdone himself.

He'd recruited Brainstorm and Perceptor to construct a glowing neon floor in the centre of the bar. On it, a square pattern of lights changed colour randomly, and above it, a mirrored sphere spun from the ceiling. It reflected flecks of light over the entire room. Swerve had called it 'disco' or something similar.

The tables had been pushed back to the edges of the room. The chairs were mostly empty - it was dance night, after all. But they served as the perfect place for the incurably undemonstrative to sit and drink.

At one such table, Magnus and Cyclonus sat, and drank.

"I'm skeptical," Cyclonus said. "About that drink. Whatever Whirl says, I don't think it's purely energon..."

"He assured me it was - he assured - he said he wanted to make up for Hedonia."

"And you _believed him?_ "

Magnus did feel a little woozy. But he didn't want to admit this to Cyclonus. To save having to reply, he took another sip. Cyclonus sensed his awkwardness, and in a clumsy attempt to change the subject, he pointed a claw at Magnus' memo-pad.

"What's that?"

"Work."

" _Here_?"

"I'm very busy." Magnus said, peeved. 

Cyclonus put up a hand. "I apologise. But I confess, I am curious - why agree to this evening if you weren't going to... what does Rodimus say? ' _Let off steam_ '."

"You're not dancing." Magnus pointed out.

"I will. Tailgate will  _certainly_ insist." Cyclonus' optics brightened in a slight smile. "I owe him a dance, you see."

Magnus sipped his drink and didn't answer. The room spun. Cyclonus did not attempt to convince him further, and thankfully, the lack of conversation was interrupted by Rodimus' arrival. He slumped into the seat next to Magnus, breathing heavily. He had glitter on his cheek.

Magnus frowned. "Hold still."

Rodimus sat up. "Oh, Magnus, no, there's really no need-"

Before Rodimus could escape, Magnus pulled out a cleaning rag and wiped off the offending glitter. Rodimus winced under the assault.

"Mag- _nus_." He groaned. "You're embarrassing me."

Cyclonus smirked into his own glass. Rodimus slapped Magnus' hand away and fussed over his now perfectly clean cheek. 

"I'm surprised you're not dancing, Rodimus." Cyclonus said, amused.

"What, I'm not allowed to take a break?"

"Perhaps you could convince Magnus to do the same - he's not left off his memo-pad since his arrival."

Magnus hugged the memo-pad to his chest. "I have a lot of reports to compile."

"And it has to happen _now_?" 

Magnus was grateful when Megatron, Whirl and Tailgate joined them at the table, interrupting the conversation. Megatron sat next to Magnus and nodded to him respectfully. Magnus returned the greeting.

Whirl sat by Cyclonus and slid Magnus another glass of... energon.  _Probably_ energon. Magnus accepted it skeptically.

Whirl blinked at him. "That was a wink." He explained.

"Oh. Thank you."

"You can thank me by loosening up. Dance on a table. Do some shots. Keg stand." Whirl clicked his claws. "I'm not going to watch you and Cyclonus make terrible conversation all night - I want some _entertainment_."

Magnus did not even grace this comment with a reply, and chose instead to shake his head and return to his work. Prowl had recently requested a progress report from the Lost Light. This meant compiling a year's worth of files and reports, and while the task was not hard, it was certainly overwhelming.

Maybe it would have been different if he'd had Rodimus to help him - but Magnus cared too much for his bureaucracy-hating captain to subject him to such arduous torture. Besides:  _Ultra Magnus_ did not struggle with _paperwork_. He had his pride, after all. He was fine alone.

It would take a miracle for Magnus to admit he was feeling - perish the thought - a little stressed.

Beside him, Megatron tilted his body towards Magnus in a perfectly polite manner. There was no overt familiarity or emotion. It was merely that Megatron, being next to Magnus, had decided to engage him in idle conversation. That was all.

"Did you finish that typography documentary I recommended?" Megatron asked.

"I regret to say that I have not." Magnus said, and gestured to his memo-pad in explanation. "I've been very busy."

Megatron nodded without judgement. "I understand. Well, whenever you get the chance. I found it very interesting, and I think you would as well."

"Perhaps you could give me a brief overview of the specific subject matter." Magnus sipped his drink. "I'm certainly interested, but I'd love to hear your thoughts as well."

Megatron launched into a concise summary of the key points of the documentary: these points including the need to consider uniform line-weight when constructing a typeface, the various pros and cons of serif and sans-serif typefaces, and the purpose a typeface served in visually representing an entire organisation. 

Magnus gradually emptied his glass during the course of Megatron's overview. He truly was fascinated, and therefore, it was a shame Magnus was so unusually dizzy tonight. He was losing concentration. He even had to ask Megatron to repeat himself.

"Er - pardon?"

"I was saying that a typeface embodies what it represents - that is why the use of typography within the Autobot Code needs to be carefully monitored and restrained." Megatron chuckled. "Can you imagine the repercussions of a bold, forceful, hostile font being used to dictate the entirety of military law? It may seem a small detail, but it's an important one. In particular, your article came to mind... Magnus, are you all right?"

Magnus fought down the urge to hug Megatron. He only barely resisted the impulse. "It's - it's been a long day."

"Oh! I see. It's just - you rarely drink. I was a little concerned."

"I'm not drinking." Magnus frowned at his empty glass. "True, I  _was_  drinking. But I wasn't  _drinking,_ drinking. I'm not drunk." 

This stumbling disaster of a sentence was the final proof to convince Magnus of his inebriation. His dizziness and distraction - both suddenly made a lot more sense. He glared across the table. Whirl did not even have the grace to look ashamed.

"You gonna loosen up now, Mags?" Whirl said, unabashed.

"I- you-" Magnus spluttered his way through indignant outrage. "You said you wanted to make up for Hedonia!"

"And you  _believed me?_ "

"I am  _utterly_ \- ugh - the utter  _gall -_ Whirl, what in the blue blazes did you hope to accomplish?" Magnus pushed away his empty glass, as if doing so could erase the damage already done. "If I were to actually 'loosen up' - what would that even begin to look like?"

"A dance or two." Whirl shrugged. "I dunno, I wanted to cause trouble, mostly."

Magnus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Thank you for your honesty."

He couldn't bear to look at Megatron. Or Whirl. He was utterly ashamed at how easily he'd been taken in, and what was more, Whirl was correct - Magnus had been entertaining the idea of getting up and dancing. The very  _idea_ of it-! 

Magnus realised his foot was tapping in time to the music. He stopped it.

Tailgate elbowed Whirl. 

"Quit it, panic button - frag off, you little - fine, fine! Agh, scrap it." Whirl sighed. "Full honesty. You've been cooped up in your office for a solid month, Magnus, and it's starting to get scary. I haven't been able to mess with you at all - what, it's true! I miss pissing him off - and you need a  _fragging break._ "

"Language." Magnus muttered, but did not contest any of the other claims.

"Dance." Insisted Whirl. "One dance. And I'll leave you alone."

Magnus didn't meet anyone's eye, but he snuck a sideways glance at the lurid dance-floor. Swerve had truly outdone himself. It looked inviting. But he was intoxicated, and his thought process was wandering, and his powers of decision-making were impaired. Magnus looked to Rodimus and Megatron for guidance.

Rodimus shrugged. "It's just a  _dance_ , Magnus, not a tactical operation. Stand up, move around, sit down. Go for it."

Megatron gave him a measured, serious look. "If you're unwilling, don't. But if you _are_ willing, then... well, I have been - hm - a - a little concerned, lately. It could be good for you."

Magnus stared off into the middle distance as if he didn't care one way or the other. Whirl shrugged. Conversation resumed around him. 

He  _had_ been a little stressed, lately...

"All right." Magnus said, getting to his feet.

"You're serious?" Whirl was delighted.

"Just one song." Magnus said. "And I have to find Rewind first, to ensure he doesn't  _film me_ or something equally embarrassing."

Whirl's cackle welled up as if he couldn't contain it. "Primus, sure! We'll all be over here, definitely not watching."

"Thank you." Magnus nodded. The last thing he needed was extraneous attention.

After forcefully indicating to Rewind the consequences for recording him, Magnus wandered over to the dance-floor - not without effort: he was finding trouble walking in a straight line - and hovered at the edge. He glanced over at Rodimus' table. He was pleased to see everyone staring devoutly into their drinks. 

Even with his thoughts wandering, Magnus was still able to cross off an internal to-do list. Eliminate spectators - check. Stand up - check. All that was left was to move around, and sit down. Simple. And just on cue, the next song began.

" _Well you can tell by the way I use my walk,_

 _I'm a woman's man, no time to talk._.."

Magnus' last coherent thought was that he would be able to dance far better  _without his armour..._

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"He's not. Is he?" Tailgate asked. "He's not going to..."

"A loadbearer stripping." Cyclonus tilted his head. "As a warrior, I'm interested in seeing such a performance."

Rodimus' grin froze on his face. "Uh." He laughed nervously. "What?"

"See for yourself."

Megatron was not one to have his head easily turned, but at these words from Cyclonus, his gaze swivelled around as if magnetised. Magnus was - yes, he was removing the armour, piece by piece. 

It was a delicate process, Megatron realised. To do it slowly, Magnus had to undo every clasp while maintaining the structural integrity of the armour. If he slipped up - if he removed one section too fast - the armour would fall to pieces. The result was an agonisingly slow unfastening. There were a lot of clasps. Magnus had to undo all of them, one by one,  _while moving._

"Impressive." Cyclonus said, as Magnus spun around.

"Impressive?  _Impressive?_ I can't even look." To punctuate his point, Rodimus put his face in his hands. "Whirl, what have you done?"

"Fighting and dancing are not dissimilar. If it helps, think of it as an elaborate practice-form." Cyclonus suggested.

"The problem isn't the dancing." Rodimus gestured. "It's the  _moves -_ he's millions of years out of date! Just - watch! Actually no. I can't watch. He's too  _old fashioned."_

Megatron was - strangely - captivated. "I do not mind the old fashioned moves."

Rodimus' disgusted grunt was muffled. "Of course you don't."

Magnus was really, really good at fighting. Megatron knew this. The fact that Magnus danced as he fought: with perfect control - it should not have been a surprise. Yet Megatron was still floored by the perfect control in Magnus' movements, as he undid the armour clasp of his left wrist, and then his right wrist...

" _Got the wings of heaven on my shoes,_

_I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose_

_You know it's alright, it's okay,_

_I'll live to see another day_

_We can try, to understand,_

_The New York Times' effect on man_..."

Megatron watched avidly as Magnus shook his arms to loosen the armour pieces there. He watched as the other bot moved onto the torso, loosening the buckles down the sides. Along the way, Magnus trailed his hands over his bio-lights. Megatron ached to do the same.

Primus, what was wrong with him? He couldn't be fantasising about Magnus in such a way. He'd thought his self-control was better than that. But perhaps it was the way Magnus seemed to invite fantasies... At any rate, Megatron was fascinated.

"Is somebody going to stop him?" Rodimus said.

"Stop him?" Megatron was horrified at even the idea.

"Yeah, all right." Whirl said. "Off you go, then, go stop him."

Rodimus shrunk in his seat. 

"That's what I thought." Whirl said, smugly, and stole Rodimus' drink. "This is  _way_ more entertaining than a keg stand."

Magnus suddenly had to roll his shoulders to prevent a loose part of the armour from falling off. The roll travelled down his body - to balance a chain reaction of displacements, Megatron knew. But he could only focus on the amount of  _restrained strength_  inherent in that ripple of machinery, and he clenched his hands on his thighs and swallowed.

Magnus slowly slid a hand down his stomach and toyed with the clasp at his beltline.

Megatron ached. He looked away and chewed his lip in concentration. He wasn't going to stare. He wasn't.

"Hmm." Tailgate said. "I didn't know Magnus was that flexible."

Megatron chanced a look back at the dance-floor - but saw no display of flexibility. However, he did see Tailgate smiling knowingly at Megatron from the other side of the table. 

Irritated that he had been caught out in his interest, Megatron folded his arms and made a gruff sound. By chance, this left him staring at Magnus again. Tailgate smiled. Megatron ignored him.

_"Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother_

_You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive_

_Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin'_

_And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive_

_Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive_

_Ah, ha, ha, ha..."_

Magnus hooked a finger under his helmet plating, at the back of his neck, and drew it around with the high note of the song. As he did, he arched his head back. Megatron swallowed. Magnus trailed a long line down the cords of his neck - over his chest, down his side, and Megatron's optics followed - and finally rested his hand on his hip.

Magnus went to his knees. Megatron accidentally bit his lip, and tasted energon.

Then, in a smooth moment the torso unfurled - all at once - and Minimus gracefully stepped free of the discarded armour.

It was a very neat movement. It made the air leave Megatron's vents in a full-body exhale.

"Yeah, _Magnus_!" Whirl whooped. " _That's_  what I'm talking about!"

The rest of the bar followed Whirl's lead in cheering for the minibot. Their applause continued into the start of the next song before it began to die down.

But Megatron had eyes only for Minimus. The other man had gone still, absolutely still. He was staring, agonised, at the collapsed armour - as if he was only now realising the extent of his actions.

Megatron got to his feet.

"Ten, would you take care of Minimus' armour for him? Thank you. Swerve, please get everyone a round. On me." Over the cheers, Megatron addressed Minimus. "Now - while they're distracted. Minimus, would you mind if I escorted you back to your hab-suite?"

Minimus looked up at him gratefully. " _Please._ "

 

The music was muffled in the corridor outside Swerve's, but the joy of the party could still be heard. The crowd still celebrated. Megatron could make out the opening bars of 'the Power of Love', and could imagine that right now, Tailgate was dragging Cyclonus up to dance. 

Megatron and Minimus left the scene. The music grew faint, and fainter, and finally it only existed as the distant dream of a sound.

Minimus stumbled. Megatron offered his arm - merely for politeness sake, of course.

Minimus accepted - in the same spirit, no doubt.

The other bot stared gloomily at the ground ahead. "I've humiliated myself beyond all salvation, haven't I?"

"That depends on your definition of 'humiliation'." Megatron said. "Please, clarify for me?"

Minimus shot him a despondent glance and kept walking. "As you know, Ultra Magnus is meant to be unyielding. Incorruptible. He does not 'blow off steam' and if he did, it would certainly not be by means of - of -"

Minimus couldn't even say the word 'strip-tease'.

"Of a dance." Megatron finished for him.

"A  _dance_. Yes." Minimus welcomed the euphemism. "This evening I acted in an unforgivably weak way. It was a failure of character."

"I disagree." Megatron mused. "And I do not think it a humiliation at all."

Minimus' grip tightened on Megatron's arm as his head snapped up. His expression was miserable, yet his optics sparkled, as if entertaining a fragile hope. "How so?"

"True, Ultra Magnus is one facet of your identity." Megatron said. "But he is an idea. You, Minimus, are a  _person_ , and therefore it is no humiliation for you to exhibit a  _personality -_ to occasionally be weak and fallible - and the rest of the Lost Light knows this."

"Hmm." Minimus remained sombre. They walked in silence for a number of hallways.

"I am still embarrassed." He admitted, eventually.

"Oh, it's embarrassing, certainly." Megatron agreed. "But it is not an unsalvageable humiliation."

"...You're right. There  _is_ a distinction." Minimus explored the idea aloud appreciatively. "And it was... hmm. Enjoyable. Maybe even... _fun_. But I am _never_ doing it again."

"Of course." Megatron laughed, and smiled down at the other bot. "Your character is without question, Minimus Ambus."

Minumus held his gaze. His optics shone brilliantly, silently - a magnificent dark red, much like Megatron's own. He was transfixed.

"I'm... flattered." Minimus murmured. "That you think so."

Minimus held Megatron's arm a little tighter. Each of them brought his opposite arm around to rest at the centre - where they were pressed against each other - and Megatron lightly covered Minimus' hand. They walked closer together. A passerby might have mistaken them for strolling lovers.

Neither Minimus nor Megatron said a word. To speak would have been to acknowledge the closeness - something neither was willing to do.

And when they arrived at Minimus' habsuite, it took a beat for Megatron to realise that this was where they had to leave each other. They lingered. Then, they self-consciously stepped apart.

"I'll see to it that Swerve takes good care of your armour." Megatron spoke softly. Without Minimus nearby, he was strangely unsure of what to do with his arms. He folded them behind his back. "Was there anything else?"

"There was one more thing." Minimus mirrored the uncertain motion. "Prowl has requested a year's worth of progress reports, and the work has been..."

Minimus glared at him sternly - challenging Megatron to think less of him for his burden.

"No wonder you 'loosened up' tonight." Megatron said. "It must be a formidable amount of paperwork to strain  _you._ "

"Oh, the paperwork itself holds no challenge for me..."

"...But the sheer time it takes to compile all the reports - it's absurd." Megatron finished, and smiled. "I understand. I'd be more than willing to help."

Minimus' serious expression softened. "Thank you. I'm glad you understand."

Megatron smiled fondly at the other bot. They maintained eye contact a little longer than was professional.

Then, Minimus frowned suddenly.

"Megatron." Minimus said, stern. He beckoned him down.

Megatron bowed.

Megatron was left breathless as Minimus ran his thumb over Megatron's mouth in a gesture of incredible, casual intimacy. He blinked, stunned. His lips parted minutely under the touch. Megatron remained still and allowed Minimus to wipe away the bead of energon from where he had bitten his lip earlier.

"You had a..." Minimus' face suddenly burned. "Oh."

His thumb still rested at the corner of Minimus' mouth. Megatron resisted the impulse to take Minimus' hand entirely, to press a kiss to his knuckles in a gesture indicating respect, courtesy, and admiration.

He resisted the impulse.

He failed.

Minimus choked as Megatron reached up, tenderly captured his hand, and pulled it close. He let his lips brush lightly over Minimus' knuckles. He withdrew.

"Thank you for everything tonight." Megatron maintained his composure. He did not blush. "Er. Tomorrow. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Don't forget about that documentary I recommended. Until then - goodnight, Minimus."

"Goodnight." Minimus stepped back. In a distracted manner, he grasped the hand Megatron had kissed and held it to his chest. "Indeed. Yes. I won't forget. Goodnight, Megatron."

All Megatron could think about, walking away from Minimus' hab-suite, was the way Minimus had  _allowed_ the action. Megatron had done it slowly - there  _had_ been time for an objection - but the other man had remained still and allowed it to happen without a word.

Minimus had let him kiss his hand. Megatron's spark felt light. It hadn't felt so light in - in - oh, he couldn't remember. Megatron fondly hummed the song Minimus had danced to.

" _...Life goin' nowhere, somebody help me, yeah_

_I'm stayin' alive..."_

He attempted a little spin, and stumbled instead. Megatron felt his face grow hot, coughed, and walked normally. It had been a moment of weakness.

But, Megatron supposed, there were certainly worse weaknesses than  _fondness._

**Author's Note:**

> It's canon that Magnus can dance - he was dancing in the holiday special, and he's not completely devoid of motor control lol - but he is a Dad, so of course his moves are gonna be a little old fashioned lol
> 
> there was gonna be a scene in 'the frail gaze' where Magnus did a strip tease, but it was tragically cut cos it would have been out of character. i tried to make this as 'in character' as i could..... but where i couldn't, who's complaining?????? put it down to the drink. that will be minimus' excuse tomorrow lmao
> 
> anyway hope you enjoyed this fun, silly little thing!!!!! i certainly did lol


End file.
